NSA Trial: Witness tells court why ADB rushed initial payment in hire purchase deal

The head of Consumer Finance at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Gilbert Serbeh-Yeboah, has explained to the Accra High Court why the bank proceeded with an initial transfer under the National Service Authority (NSA) hire purchase facility despite delays.

Testifying on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as a witness in the ongoing NSA scandal trial, Serbeh-Yeboah said the bank acted to avoid losing the entire transaction after the accused, former Deputy Executive Director of the NSA, Gifty Oware-Mensah, grew impatient with the slow pace.

He noted that engagement between ADB and the NSA started in October 2022, but the deal remained unexecuted by February 2023.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Gary Nimako Marfo, the witness rejected claims that ADB made the first payment without a transfer instruction.

“The accused was angry with us, and we were losing the whole arrangement,” Serbeh-Yeboah told the court.

He detailed how the bank obtained approval for an initial GH¢193,300 after reviewing revenues submitted by the accused. The accused later assured the bank that the arrangement would proceed, with the formal transfer request arriving on the third day.

Serbeh-Yeboah agreed that all transfers to Blocks of Life Consult Limited were made through the NSA hire purchase account.

He confirmed that the GH¢148,841 transferred on February 22, 2023, formed part of the earlier GH¢193,300 disbursement to the NSA, after ADB deducted its commission.

When asked how much commission the bank earned, he stated,“ADB earned a commission of GH¢44,459, being the 23 per cent commission per the master agreement.”

The witness confirmed that transfers were based on written instructions from the NSA and that he had informed Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) investigators accordingly, referencing Exhibit D and additional instructions.

By March 3, 2023, ADB had disbursed GH¢6.87 million under the facility. Mr Serbeh-Yeboah co-signed a letter titled “NSS Hire Purchase Facility Repayment Advice” with colleague Kate Owusu, noting that efforts to secure disbursement for the remaining personnel were “well underway and indeed far advanced”.

The defence tendered his caution and statement forms to the BNI in March 2025, admitted as Exhibits 5 and 5A without objection. In the statement, he denied the charges:

“I deny charges against me, and I would want to exercise my constitutional right to remain silent. All other information on the transaction are with the bank,” he said.

He clarified that he accompanied the ADB Managing Director to the BNI without a personal invitation.

Serbeh-Yeboah also said the NSA had not lodged any official complaint with ADB regarding the facility and that he was unaware of any sanctions against officers who processed it.

The case has been adjourned to June 17, 2026, for continuation of proceedings.

Oware-Mensah faces charges of causing financial loss of more than GH¢31 million to the state.

These include allegedly causing the NSA to pay GH¢6.95 million as interest on a GH¢31.50 million loan for Blocks of Life Consult, from which the prosecution claims she benefited.

She is also accused of stealing and laundering GH¢31.50 million by transferring the funds from the NSA hire-purchase escrow account with ADB to disguise their illicit origin.